Acai Bowl Chain to Open Ditmars Blvd. Location

35-04 Ditmars Boulevard (Google Maps)

June 11, 2018 By Tara Law

An acai bowl and smoothie chain plans to open a new location on Ditmars Boulevard in July.

Long-Island based company SoBol will offer the Brazilian fruit dishes that have become popular with Millennials— acai bowls and pitaya bowls— at a grab-and-go style eatery at 35-04 Ditmars Blvd.The storefront is the former location of Shanaz Variety Discount.

The bowls are popular as a breakfast, dessert or snack, and are made-to-order. SoBol bowls can be customized with various toppings, including mango, peanut butter and chia seeds.

Pitaya and Acai Bowls (Photo: Sobol Astoria/Facebook)

SoBol has grown rapidly since it was founded in 2014, riding the wave of acai trendiness. The company has opened 20 locations in New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut in the last four years, and plans are underway to open 20 more. The Ditmars location will be SoBol’s first in Queens.

Like all but two of SoBol’s locations, the Ditmars shop will be a franchise. The location will be operated by Long Beach resident Mark Keegan.

SoBol spokesperson Nick Pesko said that the secret to SoBol’s fast expansion is that it appeals to the younger generation’s desire to consume healthier eating options and “superfoods”— fruits and vegetables that are nutritionally dense and are believed to offer health benefits— such as dragon fruit and acai.

SoBol has been eyeing Astoria for a while, said Pesko, because the neighborhood is filled with “young, energetic, business-savvy” people who are making the area a “popular and fun place to be.”

SoBol also boasts a quick prep time and a commitment to freshness, said Pesko. SoBol’s offerings are prepared in about four minutes, and all of the company’s fruits and blends are prepared daily.

“Nothing is pre-made,” said Pesko. “The fruit is cut fresh in the morning, and all the blends are made in the morning.”

The shop will offer about 10 to 20 raised seats, said Pesko. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Ditmars is noisy, dirty, filled with hipsters and dudebros and old people during the day. Its literally SO dirty, from garbage to dog poo when the homeless workers have a day off. Good luck and Welcome to the neighborhood.

Those old people, as you so disrespectfully called them, have lived in the area since before your butt was on this planet! Millennial
morons ruin neighborhoods. We need more stores not more restaurants.

Please do not forget about all the older landlords that have owned these properties for many years and have pushed out many families and the mom and pop stores by jacking up the rent and allowing all the restaurants and bars to take over trying to rent out their apts in “trendy” Astoria. You can not blame the youth (of mostly renters) for all of what you think are “the cons” of living in Astoria. Even many developers are over 50 with old ties to the neighborhood!! There are pros and cons to every neighborhood.

The most densely caloric “health food” ever marketed. The Liquiterria “green superfood” acai bowl is over 600 calories with more than 50(!!) grams of sugar. Top it with shredded coconut or throw a scoop of peanut butter in there and you’re looking at an 800 calorie snack.

You can stick to your frappes, cappuccinos, fried loukoumades, zeppoles, etc. if that’s your thing. Plenty of that to go around in Astoria. Acai Bowl is delicious. And you can always burn off calories if one is concerned using citi bikes and the Astoria Pool! I love Astoria!

The NYC Ferry system is set to undergo a significant expansion in coming months, with the Astoria route, connecting the western Queens neighborhood to Wall Street, getting a new stop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard this spring.

A 24-year-old Brooklyn man who crashed his car on the BQE in 2017 and left a 25-year-old Astoria woman inside his burning vehicle to die was sentenced yesterday to four to 12 years in prison, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.